A Korean Drama Mystery Explained

Hello! It's been a while.

I've been busy with school and with going places on the weekends. A couple of weekends back I went to Seoraksan (a beautiful mountain) with my boyfriend and his aunt. I don't think I've posted about it yet. Sorry I am lazy, and I don't want to take the time to pick out photos. Not just yet. I took upwards of 200 photos there alone. I have to pick the best pictures for you to see.

So today I'd rather tell you about my school staff hiking trip. We went to a mountain by a lake in Goesan. While it was not as precipitous, rugged or high as Seoraksan, it was still very beautiful. I was also glad it was easy hiking since I am feeling under the weather.

Here are some of my coworkers, posing for pictures and just having fun. 

This spot was very scenic. They had benches and swings for people to stop and enjoy the view. 

 So here is a shot of the lake, and across the lake, on that low hill on the right is a cemetery.

I tried to get a close up shot, and this is the best I can do. My dad asked me about how they have mounds over graves. It is an interesting thing. Even after burying, they erect a mound of dirt on top about 2 to 3 feet high. They have very pretty cemeteries, and they are usually in very beautiful locations like this one. 

That brings me to my post title. 

I don't know how many of you have ever watched the Korean drama called "Secret Garden" but if you have you will know what I am going to talk about. 

I doubt it's a big spoiler to say that in the drama, when mountain biking, the leads find themselves at some mountain shack and decide to go in despite it seeming majorly creepy. As Americans, we would be "warned" and just turn around and go back. I found myself asking "Why on earth would there be a restaurant out here in the middle of nowhere on the side of a mountain?" I've been hiking some in the States, at State parks (though not the big ones out west), so my understanding is - there will be stalls and food/water at the head of the main trail, or in the "entrance" area of the park (and maybe not even - maybe just vending) - but from there on out you are by yourself. You must carry your own water, food and whatever it is you might need.
Not so in South Korea, not so. You can be a few kilometers into a hike and come upon something like this.

I believe we had gone 2 kilometers when we started seeing things, and they're not mirages. Before this tent, was a pavilion and a spring with running water. I should take a picture of the next spring so I can show you, sorry I don't have a picture right now. Anyway, it's spring water that they have tapped and it flows constantly. You can drink some with a cup or dipper spoon they have there for just that purpose. So you don't absolutely need to carry a drink.
And if you want something with actual calories, walk no further. They have that too. Around 2.5 kilometers, we reached a water wheel place where ladies were making tteok (chewy glutinous rice squish) by hand with huge wooden mallets. The place sells tteok and shikhye (a sweet rice drink). 

The same was true of Seoraksan. Every 2 or 3 kilometers, there were rest areas with people selling food, snacks, drinks, and souvenirs. Actually, there is a coffee shop up there that has amazing coffee. It's expensive, but it could just be one of the best cups of coffee I've had in Korea. 

Come to think of it, there were similar stalls at Maisan (see a post from last May, I believe it was). The only difference was there were more temples at Maisan, and that made the food stalls a little less obvious to me. The food was before the hike mostly, but there were still small snack vendors in places.

After all my hiking experience, I can see why in that drama the characters do not find it very odd that there is a restaurant stall so far off the beaten path. The only suspicious thing about the place is that there is only 1 (Koreans are famous for putting 3 or more of the same thing right next to each other. People say it's a competitive streak. I think it has more to do with collectivism.)

So if you're ever hiking in this country do not fear if you come across a random food cart/vendor. It probably has something yummy to offer... that or some dried fish, cuttlefish, sea creature... and I guess you can try it if you're into that kind of food. *blech!*

Korean hiking pros: You won't starve or go thirsty. 

There are pre-made paths, so even the elderly can hike.
There are plenty of people out there hiking too, you probably won't get lost.
If you have a medical emergency, there are people to see it happen and call for help.
Cell phone service is everywhere, people CAN call for help.

Korean hiking cons: In a hurry-hurry culture, it feels like Koreans hike too fast.
There are plenty of people... sometimes too many. If you came for peace and quiet - you will be sorely disappointed.
The pre-made paths might insult your sense of rugged American pride if you fancy yourself an off-road kind of hiker.